Peter Seligmann, the founder of Conservation International (CI) and longtime Chair of its Board of Directors, has stepped down from the Board effective June 22, 2025, the organization announced. He will continue to support the organization in the role of Chairman Emeritus.
Seligmann co-founded Conservation International in 1987 after a decade at The Nature Conservancy, where he led its International Program. Under his leadership—first as CEO and Chair, and later as Chair alone—Conservation International has grown to be one of the world’s largest conservation organizations, with work in over 70 countries and more than 1,200 protected areas. He also helped shape the organization’s partnerships with governments, businesses, and Indigenous communities.
“As Peter transitions into this new role, we celebrate his extraordinary legacy and the enduring impact of his leadership,” said M. Sanjayan, CEO of Conservation International, in a statement. “While he is stepping back from our Board, we will always be guided by his passion, wisdom, and vision as we build on the foundation he helped create.”
“Peter Seligmann is a visionary force in conservation—a leader who understood long before many that protecting nature is not charity, it’s survival,” said Actor Harrison Ford, Vice Chair of CI’s Board. “I’m proud to have stood beside him in this fight for our planet.”
In addition to his ongoing role with CI, Seligmann serves on the boards of the Mulago Foundation and the New School’s Zolberg Institute on Migration and Mobility. He also co-founded Nia Tero in 2017, after stepping down as CI’s CEO, and continues to serve on its board. Nia Tero supports Indigenous guardianship of nature.
“All of humanity depends upon what happens to our Earth,” said Seligmann in the statement. ”Our work must inspire, uplift, and embrace all political parties as well as the full diversity of cultures.”
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